Shadows
by MurderousMidget
Summary: The pack has moved on, a new leader has taken his place and a new legacy will arise!
1. Chapter 1

**Shadows**

**Chapter one: **

Rain bulleted earthwards, clattering off misalign roof tiles and gathering in the gutters as it trickled down the pipes and occasionally dripped off the sides of the stone houses. It did not stop as it encountered one of many deformities on the stone slabs, but winded around it, then parasailing downwards until it slid to the cold glass pane at last, and disappeared among a million others at the bottom.

Through that window, a bedroom could be seen. Three of its walls painted a camouflage-style green and surrounded by shelves, cluttered with many books and other ill-fitting ornamentals which fought for space on the ever crowded surfaces. One wall, facing the grimy window, was painted white and decorated with so many drawings and half finished sketches that it seemed black from a distance. Each penned line collided with the remains of a forgotten charcoal squiggle, some smudging had occurred near the doorframe, where the artist had started a pair of angel wings, but been distracted during the finishing feathers and seemed to have broken the drawing utensil used. Now all that remained of those wings was a misshapen blackness, that was barely visible in the deep shadows of the room, for it has only one light source, which was continually faulty and shed a sickened contrast over the walls, forgetting to fall across the single bed which was pushed erotically into the farthest corner of the room, all that could be seen of it was a black figure, upon which lay a sleeping girl, her dark hair covering her soft features and bringing out the paleness of her sun-deprived skin. In her bony yet strong hands she clutched a sheet of paper tightly, as if afraid of it being taken.

Thunder boomed, filling the silent room just as the lightning's brightness entered, casting light upon the unstirring girl so that she became visible for a second, and then abruptly disappeared again as the darkness resettled, along with the looming silence.

A silent silhouette appeared upon the flooded windowsill; it squatted smoothly and pushed open the window without as much as a creak of protest from the ancient hinges. With a muffled thud it landed, dripping from the rain, on the wooden planks which covered the room's floor. There was a gentle tapping as the liquid drops landed, but still the silence lingered.

Tentative blue eyes examined the room, before falling on the shadowed corner where the girl lay under a blanket of darkness.

"Rayne". The word came in a low hiss of impatience, which increased as the figure on the bed did not respond.

Taking another step, lightning flashed once more and lit up the sharp features of the intruder. A square jaw, smooth cheekbones and centred off with a masculine nose above which two eyebrows, furrowed with tension, shadowed his eyes now. The light soon faded and he became no more than a dark figure once more.

"Rayne, wake up". He tried again in a calmer tone as he crossed the remaining distance to the bed and perched on its edge, making the mattress groan in protest to the bulky frame's weight.

The girl's thin lips parted only slightly, "No". She breathed, finally opening her eyes to reveal her dull grey-blue irises and looking up at him, "Don't make me". Her lids began to close again, "I can't".

Large, pale hands shook her, only the faintest movement was visible in the darkness, "Don't be so fuckin' stupid, you HAVE to! And you must join the hunt this time". Light glinted off razor sharp fangs which were suddenly bared at her. His words were firm, not negotiable.

"Fine! Jeez calm down Haiden…" She hauled herself up, into a sitting position and began fixing her hair, which had become mussed and limp as she had slept.

"Leave it, it will only become worse", Haiden pointed out as he got up impatiently and headed for the window.

Rayne looked at him disapprovingly, but rolled her eyes and followed him as he leapt from the windowsill and sailed gracefully downwards, landing in a crouching position on the hard concrete-slabbed pavement outside. Rain pelted off the two as they sprinted through the endless streets, Rayne's hair continually flew into her face and stuck to her cheeks damply, but she ignored it, focussing the whole time on her destination.

Ten minutes later they came to a vacated children's park, the swings swung wildly as the wind pushed them tirelessly, as if trying to entertain a ghost child. In a grassy corner which was surrounded at one side by large shrubs, there was a small crowd taking shelter under the overgrown trees leaves, as Rayne and Haiden came closer, the largest male turned and his golden eyes flashed in their direction, signalling to them where to go. But Rayne and Haiden knew exactly where the rest of the pack were, the odour was unmissable.

"Ah, so you have finally decided to join us have you?" The largest male took a step out of the refuge of the shrubs and his liquid eyes taunted them. "Timing is not your strongest quality is it Rayne?" His lips twisted into a sneer.

As Rayne opened to mouth to retort, Haiden stepped in front of her, "We were held up, Rayne has had a tough week", He replied flatly, gesturing to the two healing scars on the back of her wrist.

Rayne hid her arm behind her back and glared at the muddy ground.

"Ah, but that is her own fault for picking fights". The male ran a hand through his blonde hair, and suddenly his tone sharpened, "You're just lucky the boss hasn't arrived yet, pup, he has minimum tolerance for unrespectful parasites."

"I know my cousin well enough thank you". Haiden's reply was acidic.

"Oh but do you?" A smaller, younger male piped up in a sudden surge of confidence which quickly disappeared as he was tackled to the ground by a snarling wolf. Its thick fur was chocolate coloured, paling at the muzzle and darkening under its eyes. Pale, blue eyes which glared coldly at the man who was under him, quivering.

"C-call 'im off Dash!" He begged the large male, shielding his face with thin hands which were clenched into fists.

"Haiden! Knock it off!" Dash snarled, shoving at the wolf's bulky frame ineffectively. Haiden snapped at him. Seizing his chance, the smaller male kicked Haiden swiftly in the gut, sending the wolf into whimpering hysterics before the pain turned to anger and he latched his razor-sharp incisors around the other male's neck, clutching harder and harder.

"Pup, off", Ordered a deep, velvet voice which was as smooth as it was authoritive.

Instantly Haiden stiffened into a tense statue, and his ears flattened against his head as he released his grip and lifted his head to look over one strong shoulder at the person who was now standing beside Rayne, his hand on her shoulder as she continued to stare at the ground uncomfortably, her hair falling over the sides of her face and casting her features into a light shadow.

"Get off him", He looked barely twenty, his red eyes encasing innocent youthfulness in them still, but deeper in them there was danger, violent danger.

Haiden stepped off the male, submissively lowering his head.

"Good, now I _would_ suggest that you morphed back, but it seems that we have no spare clothes left after your friend here's rampage earlier this week, so you shall have to remain like that until after the hunt".

Haiden growled in discontent and rolled his eyes.

"It is your own fault cousin."

"Gareth, sire." Dash, bowed his head worshiply as their leader looked over questioningly, "I have updates of the herd for the hunt…they have moved further south into the woods".

Gareth tilted his perfect face to the pouring skies, his eyes closing, letting the droplets of rain run down his neck as he sniffed the air, "Yes, I can smell that", He murmured gently and nodded. "We will start near to the Cliffside tonight".

There was a chorus of agreements and nods. Haiden looked at Rayne concernedly and then at Gareth.

"No, its okay Haiden, I'm coming to". Rayne said in a mere whisper. "I have to; it's been almost a month now".

Haiden nodded, his eyes ran over her carefully. When a werewolf went too long without hunting and only eating human food, it took its toll on their bodies. Rayne did not look any different physically, but her eyes had dulled into a gentle numbness now, she needed the fresh blood of an animal to revive her. It would do her good Haiden decided.

A small rural estate


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two:**

Wind whistled gently through the trees, blowing off the occasional leaf which would swoop down gracefully and collide with another fallen partner as they were pushed towards the moss blanketed ground, which shone with the residue from the now subsiding storm. Whipping through the air they bounced along until finally their wind-capture released them and they dutifully fell limply to the ground on top of thousands of others, only to be trodden on by dozens of mud encrusted paws which clambered through the darkest encasing of the woods towards the sacred clearing. Each wolf moved in tune with the next, never slipping or colliding as they bounded, dodging the last of the trees which kept them from their destination.

The clearing was circular in shape, caged by the forest's thick, untamed undergrowth which fought tirelessly for space. Some vines and roots snaked out towards the centre of the clearing twisting heavenwards and coiling over themselves menacingly, but these trivial complications which hid themselves under a coat of freshly fallen leaves bore no interference to the swift canines' bold, powerful strides as they emerged from the blackness and into the moonlight which swamped their coats in a silver light, shining off their teeth which were glistening moistly as they licked their muzzles excitedly as they began to pace, waiting for the signal.

Suddenly all sets of ears twitched as the wolves simultaneously gazed upwards.

On a flat rock which was positioned dominantly in the centre of the clearing, a large grey wolf walked its length slowly, it's red eyes blazed powerfully, making each wolf that looked into them succumb with respect and fear. As its regal head lifted its ears pinned flat against it and a spin-chilling howl erupted from the wolf, and in response to this the pack below bowed their heads in silent worship to him, their leader, Gareth.

As the howl faded into the wind, Gareth opened the minds of his followers so that he could communicate with them all at once without having to morph back to his human persona.

"My brothers and sisters, maidens and knights of the lycanthropian society, we gather yet again for the traditional hunt, time and time again we have witnessed our kind be taken and killed by the humans, and so we hide in the shadows, but unlike our foes we are willing to forgive. And this is why we no longer hunt the homosapiens on this night, as Alphas of the past would have, but other animals, deer.

Of course, every once and a while we slip up, as do any mortal beings." Gareth added in an after thought as he paced the rock, his gaze hard on each wolf. "But when the humans slip up, all they get is a snap on the ear, meanwhile WE are hunted and savaged like the murderous beasts they wish to believe we are!...and WHY? Because they FEAR us!"

Gareth's thoughts were approved by a chorus of howls and barks, drowning out the wail of distant thunder.

Haiden shot a glance at the white female next to him, her tail was flicking anxiously, whipping up the mud under her and making it splash onto her hind-legs, but she didn't seem to notice or care as she suppressed an antagonized whimper.

He wished he could communicate with her, but it was far too much of a risk. Gareth routinely punished anyone who dared not listen to him fully, and Haiden was already treading thin ice with his cousin.

"…now, let us get some revenge on these brutes! As most of you know, I took a little longer to get here, but that was because I was scanning the town for suitable prey for you all!" Gareth stopped pacing and stood majestically, then suddenly a plump adolescent boy was thrown from the shadows of the forest and into the luminated clearing. Over his head was a sack, blinding him from the gazes of the many wolves that now inspected him curiously.

"But what about the herd?" Dash asked in thought.

"We will still hunt them, for as you can see there is not enough of this child for all," Gareth replied, watching as the teenager fell onto the leaf covered forest floor, mud sticking to him as the dried leaves crackled underneath his mass.

Haiden rolled his eyes and a thought slipped out, "Well _he_ is rather pathetic". The chocolate wolf pulled a sarcastic look and the female beside him snickered gently. When he heard Rayne laugh he pulled a wolfy-grin, it had been so long since he has heard her express any form of happiness lately. It felt good to see her smile again.

Haiden's tail swished gently, brushing against Rayne's. Meanwhile Gareth was watching the two with scrutiny, his lips pulled over his teeth slightly as he suppressed a growl of annoyance. With two large bounds he landed in front of them, his shoulders tensed and head lowered slightly until he composed himself into the large, glorious leader that he was so widely know to be, "Is there a problem, pup?" His eyes narrowed at Haiden and then travelled towards Rayne, "I go to the trouble to provide a gift for you all and yet it is not enough?" His normally supreme tone turned into a thick growl.

Haiden remained a statue-like figure whilst his cousin began to slowly circle him and Rayne, who had lowered her head in submission.

The rest of the pack stared absorbedly at the confrontation, stealing side-glances at each other as if placing silent bets.

"Well, pup?" Gareth frowned challengingly.

Haiden's eyes looked to the ground in response and grunted gently.

"Though so", Gareth smirked victoriously and turned away from him to address the pack members, "I have no tolerance for those who disrespect my honor, may they be beta…" He then glanced back at Haiden, "Or pup".

"Now", He continued as he calmed down. "Let us continue."

With one great leap he was on top of the rock once again, his attention returned to the boy who was scrambling to his feet, sobbing quietly.

"For some, this will be their first time hunting human meat, but let me assure you that you should face no moral issues, and should you, remember this fact: a human kills because of fear, we kill to survive, and their fall is our triumph!"

There was an uproar of howls so powerful the very sound shook the leaves around the, sending many of them spiraling around the pack in a beautiful serenade to their musical symphonies.

A black wolf with a silver muzzle walked over to the boy, he growled and with one sharp snap he grabbed the sack and yanked it off the boys head to reveal a whack of red frizzy hair onto of a plump face, red and blotchy with his tears which were currently still streaming down his cheeks.

The wolf licked his lips and bit the boy's hand; crimson blood trickled down his fingers and stained the muddied leaves. Before becoming diluted by the heavy rain drops which assaulted the ground tirelessly still.

The pack shuffled restlessly, as the boy wailed in pain, the thick stench of blood intoxicating their senses and driving them wild, tails swished and paws pounded in a ravenous manner, but not one wolf dared approach the boy until the order was issued from Gareth.

Finally, after a seeming eternity had passed, Gareth shook the mounting residue off himself and howled deeply, causing the boy to look around and suddenly realize the extent of the trouble he was in, he took off sprinting blindly into the menacing shadows of the forest, stumbling on his way and grazing his arm, this increased the pack's hunger as they smelt the fresh blood, heard the boys heart pumping, faster and faster as he ran against the wind, leaves and rain flying into his face, and branches grabbing for his clothes, it was as if the forest itself was against him too. But he did not stop running.

A matter of seconds after he had initiated the first howl, Gareth howled once more and dozens of wolves suddenly flew into the forest, mere blurs as they passed, barreling through the trees like shots of lightning.

And the hunt had begun.


End file.
